Combined support and pickling rack



COMBINED SUPPORT AND PICKLING RACK ga, M r @Lg/5 A TTORN COMBINED SUPPORT AND PICKLING RACK Filed 0G13.v l0. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 18, 1932.

G. u. HILLIARD 1,883,375

COHBINED SUPPORT AND PICKLING RACK Filed Oct. 1Q. 1929 4 S'heetS-Sheet 5 7 0 ze O IN VEN TOR.

'e4/gard' Zi. /Z////a/'CZ @ca/51. 6604,@ v @n ATTORNEY 5 G.U. HILLIARD COMBI-NED SUPPORT AND PICKLING RACK Oct. 18, 1932.

Filed Oct. l0. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 JNVENTOR.

Graw??- Z, /Zkz/d sary period of time and thereafter in a rins- Patented Cct. 18, 1932 'PATENT V@11pmI.;v A

enfuir n nrLLIAnn, or roiIi'vofs'rcwiv, oHIo communi) snrronr AND rioKLING y3.50K i Application filed October 10, 1929. Serial No. 398,640.

This invention asnindicated relatos to a combined support and pickling rack. More particularly it" comprises a handnng device for hot plates which is adapted to receive the. -plates in a horizontalposition and to suitably hold them when the device is turned to ver-- tical position so that the usual pickling operation may be carried through.

lt is the present practice to 'carry the plates from the rolls to a'pile and thereafter to insert plates fromsaid' pile into a cage or rack, theplates being-set on edge between stakes and suitable supporters beingemployed upon each of the Vpla-,tes to permit' the pickling `fliuid to flow freely upon the plates.l The pickling cage is ordinarily handled by means of four chains or cables connected with the crane which vthen reciprocates the cage vertically within the pickling vat for the necesing vat after whichfthe plates are returned to the rollsA for the final finishing treatment. The carrying of the plates from the rolls to the table from which they are inserted in the pickling rack and after the pickling operation reversing the process involves a double handling of all of this material' and Ordinarily requires the employment of some siX laborers. With the present device, the

pickling cage itself receives the plates in a horizontal position Lasthey vare carried directly from the'rolls and the operation of handling the plates may be easily; carried outby two laborers. Thus there is a saving in labor costrand `in time, andthe pickling operation can be carried through with sufli-` cient speed to prevent the delays which fre` quently are experienced Vat, the finishing rolls. To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists ofthe means hereinafter fully described and particularlyy pointed out in the claims.

rllhe annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detail certain means and one mode of-.carrying out the' invention,

such disclosed means and mode illustrating,

however, but one of various ways in which the principle of the invention may be used. f

In said annexed drawings z- Fig. 1 is an endelevation, partly in section,

of'a combined support and pickling rack in' position to receive the lates; Fig. 2 is a plan View of the bottom rame member of thee device; Fig. 3 is a side elevation ofthe device showing the rigidyoke member; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the pivoted yoke member; Fig 5 is lan end View of the cage with the yokes in supporting position and thetop cross bar engagedwith the upper ends thereof; Fig. 6 is a perspective View, broken away ini part, showing a modified form of.r construe-V, tion; and Fig. 7 is an end elevation, .partly 'in section, of the apparatus shown in Fig. 6".

As is clearly shownin the drawings, the4 picklng rackcoinprises a base member V1in the form of an open frame having a ,rectangu-l lar koutline with the langedlmembers 2' egitending'continuously about the same and having a plurality of cross members, V3, 4, 5, of -shaped cross-section. Three cross members areshown in the device illustrated andthe twok outer cross-members, 3, 5, are formed with bosses or enlargements 6 .and are provided` with sockets ..7 therein adapted to receive theV spacingstakes 8. At the points-where the two outer cross members extend across the frame, enlargements 9, 10, are formed, thel which a pivot pinlS vis engaged. The movd.

able yoke member 19 is of similar outline and 'is .provided with eyes Zlat theends of its parallel arms 22, which. eyes engage in slots 23 formed in the enlargements `10 ofthe frame .member opposite the two outer cross-mem-v bers, and pivotipins 24 serve to connect the'v same with said bosses or enlargements in said frame member to permit said yoke to` be moved to a position parallel with the fix/cd1 yoke4 member asis shown in Fig. 5 or toa position rearwardly-ofthe base member and inclined thereto so astoserve as a support a pair of d for the rack when the plates are to be deposited on or removed therefrom. The upper end of the movable yoke has inclined arms 25 at the apex of which an apertured extension 26 is provided adapted to receive the free end of the cross-bar 20 which is pivoted at its opposite end to the fixed yoke. The cross-bar preferably is formed with a straight lower edge and an arcuate upper edge so as to give greater strength centrally of the same and is provided with an enlarged aperture 27 centrally to provide for engagement of a hoisting hook or like attachment. The free end of the cross-bar is provided with some suitable fastening means whereby it may be firmly engaged with the movable yoke. In the drawings such securing means comprises a transverse aperture 28 through the end of the cross-bar through which a suitable anchoring pin 29 or other fastening element may be engaged. l

The method of using the device has already been disclosed in part. The preferred manner of using the same comprises turning the rack so that the fixed yoke will rest upon the floor or other supporting surface with the base member in a vertical position and with the movable yoke extending rearwardly of the rack atan angle to the base member and serving as a prop for the same. The crossbar is moved outwardly from the top of the fixed lyoke as is shown in Fig. l and provides no obstruction to the ready deposit of the hot plates upon the fixed yoke.

The plates are piled on the yoke in the manner shown in Fig. l and when a sufficient quantity of plates has been accumulated to' reach the level of the lower stake holes shown, stakes are inserted in the base and a second series of plates is then piled above such stakes until the level of the second pair of stake .holes is reached. l/Vhen the second set of stakes is inserted, further plates are piled upon the device until the level of the pivot atthe top of the base member isreached. The movable yoke is then swung to horizontal position parallel to the fixed yoke, the crossbar'being engaged with the aperture at the top of the movable yoke and being securely anchored in position. The hoisting attachment is then connected with the cross-bar and the frame is turned Vto vertical position. Spacing clips may be applied to the lates when they are first placed within the pickling rack or such clips may be applied at the upper edge ofthe plates after the picklingrack has been turned to vertical position with the plates on edge.

secured to suitable eye bolts 32 positioned at a central point of the yoke members at either side.

Inthe form of construction illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 the general frame and xed and movable yoke members are the same as Chains 31 are fastenedV around the end portions of the plates, being those first described, excepting that only two cross-members 33, 34, are illustrated and these being relatively heavy and of square cross-section. The equalizing stakes or posts re replaced by a series of very small stakes 35 permanently secured to the outer crossmembers by means of sockets and clamping nuts 36, the upper ends 37 of such stakes being beveled. These fixed stakes or equalizing members are positioned at predetermined points according to the number of sheets to be held in one lot which differ accoi-ding to the character of the material to be pickled and may for example contain fifteen plates in each group or twenty or thirty or any other number found most practical for the speedy operation of the pickling bath. It will be noted from the drawings that the fixed equalizing members separate the layers at the base of the frame. In order to support the free edges of the plates a built-up equalizing member 38 is provided. This built-up member is adapted to be supported upon supporting bars 4l, 42, which are engaged at their ends with the respective side frame members and are slidable upon the lateral arms of said side frame members. In handling break down plates but one equalizing member need-be provided, while with longer finishing plates it may be necessary to provide two or more series of equalizing members.

In the form of construction illustrated each of the side frame members-has a sliding supporting bar engaged over its lateral arms. The supporting bar 4l on the fixed side frame member carries at a central point the base equalizing unit 43 of the built-up series which is provided with a socket 44 to receive the cooperating member which may be in the form of a dowel pin upon the next member to be secured thereto. The second member carries, in the form illustrated, a dowel pin and the second unit comprises a tapered spacing member 46 and a body portion 47 at right angles thereto. rlhe body portion carries a dowel pin 48 and is adapted to cooperate with the socket 44 in the base member body portion. On the upper side of the spacing member a socket 49 is provided with which a dowel pin 50 of another unit 51 is adapted to b e engaged. The last named unit preferably is provided with a larger body section than that first described, inasmuch as it fits into the adjacent member immediately above the tapered spacing portion and not into the body of the base member as the first unit described. All succeeding units are preferably of the form last described as to the height of the body member and the taper of the spacing members, excepting the upper'section 52, which need not be provided with a taper on its projecting member and which preferably isl provided with a slot 53 to receive the cross bar,

-which is slidably carried upon the pivoted side member.

Thus by building up the several units in the manner described, the plates may be spaced at their free edges to correspond with the spacing provided on the base member by the projecting equalizing members engaged through the outer cross-bars.

The operation of the device is similarto that heretofore described, but has this advantage over the former construction wherein stakes are used in that a chain may be placed around the entire series ofplates prior to the withdrawal of the equalizer members from the front edges thereof and after the chain is so disposed above the plates the equalizing members at the front edges of such plates may be withdrawn simultaneously from the whole series of plates and the plates lifted bodily from the rack without the loss of time which would be involved in withdrawing the stakes in the form of construction shown in Fig. l.

Vith the apparatus described Vit is possible to carry plates directly from the rolls to the pickling rack and pile themin position for the pickling operation at'once without any rehandling. Thisr avoids the necessity of having an extra number of laborers because of the intense heat experienced where the laborers stand between two piles of hot plates as is now generally necessary under the present practice. It also permits the transfer of what are known as the breakdown plates from the rolls to the pickling vats in a minimum of time. After the pickling operation is completed the process of transferring the plates to the finishing rolls is merely a reversal of that heretofore described, the pickling rackbeing turned on its side and the cross member and movable yoke being turned to the position shown in Fig. 1 and the plates then being removed for handling at the finishing rolls. Through the use of the apparatus set forth, the pickling operation can be carried through in a limited time which will correspond to the other operations at a plant and not result in the delay of highly paid labor at the rolls through the `slowness with which the unskilled labor ordinarily operates in connection with the pickling process.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regardsl the means and the steps herein disclosed, provided those stated by any of the following claims or their equivalent be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention 1. An apparatus of the character described having in combination a frame comprising a base, a side member rigidly secured to one side of said base, a side member hingedly secured to the other side of said base opposite saidrigid side member, and meansadaptedl to be connected' to the-free end of saidside members for handling the same.

2. A device of the character described having in combination an open frame base, a plurality of cross members extending across'said: frame, a rigid side member secured to said frame adjacent said outer cross members, a pivoted side member connected to saidvframe at the opposite end of said outer cross members,and means for connecting the free ends of said; side members for handling said frame.`

3.k A device of the character described having in combination an open frame base, a plurality of cross members extending across said frame, a rigid side member secured to said frame adjacent said outer cross members, a pivoted side member connected to said frame at the opposite end ofsaid outer cross members, combined supporting and spacing stakes removably supported at intermediate points l in said outer cross members and serving for said respective functions when the yframe is positioned-first horizontally, and thereafter,V

vertically, and means for connecting the freer ends of said side members for handling saidA frame.

4. An apparatus of the character described having in combination a pickling rack com-v prising a base, a yoke rigidly secured to one sideV of said base at right angles thereto, a corresponding yoke pivotally secured to the;y

opposite sideof said base and adapted to beturned to parallel position with said rigid yoke or rearwardly of said base to act as a suport.

p 5.' `An apparatus of the character described having in combination a pickling rack comprising a base, a yoke rigidly secured to one side of said base at right angles thereto, a corresponding yoke pivotally secured to the opposite side of said base and adapted to be turned into parallel position with said rigid yoke, means for connecting the free ends of said side members and rigidly holding the same in parallel relation, and means slidably supported upon said yokes when turned to parallel position for spacing the plates supported within said rack.

6. An apparatus of the character described having in combination a pickling rack comprising a base, a plurality of fixed, combined spacing and supporting members mounted on said base and engaging plates within the rack adjacent one edge thereof, a yoke rigidly secured to one side of said base at right angles thereto, a corresponding yokepivotally secured to the opposite side of said base yand adapted to be turned into parallel position with said rigid yoke, means for connecting the free ends of said side members and rigidly holding a plurality of the same in parallel relation, and combined spacing and supporting members slidably supported upon said yokes when turned to parallel position aoV Ul v

for spacing and supporting the opposite edges of the plates positioned Within said rack.

7. An apparatus of the character described having in combination a pickling rack comprising a base, a plurality of spacing members mounted on said base, a yoke rigidly secured to one side of said base at right angles thereto, a corresponding yoke pivotally secured to the opposite side of said base and adapted to be turned into parallel position with said rigid yoke, means for connecting the free ends of said side members and rigidly holding the same in parallel relation, supporting bars slidably supported upon said yokes when turned to parallel position, and a series of interlocking spacing units adapted to be supported upon said supporting bars for spacing the plates supported Within said rack.

8. An apparatus of the character described having in combination a pickling rack comprising a base, a plurality of spacing members mounted on said base, a yoke rigidly se-v cured to one side of said base at right angles thereto, a corresponding yoke pivotally secured to the opposite side of said base and adapted to be turned into parallel position with said rigid yoke, means for connecting the free ends of said side members and rigidly holding the same in parallel relation, supporting bars slidably supported upon said yokes When turned to parallel position, and a series of interlocking spacing units having pin and socket connection with each other adapted to be supported upon said supporting bars for spacing the plates supported Within said rack. Y

Signed by me this 5th day of September,

` GRANT U. HILLIARD. 

